


Colorblind

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Modern AU, Multi, Soulmate AU, accidental obsessive claude, brief mention of caspar x ashe, female byleth is the alpha twin, jeralt is an overprotective papa, male byleth is a gay disaster, one of those love triangle stories but it's gay, seriously that last one really was an accident, soft boi dimitri, we stan bby edelgard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 21:47:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21895858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "Father. What's seeing color like?"The question was strange in Jeralt's opinion, but he assumed it only natural for his son. "Well, kid, it's hard to describe," he answered."Were you happy when you saw it for the first time? When you met our mother?"Jeralt, though taken by surprise by his son's insinuation, gave a heavy-hearted chuckle. He responded with a somber tone, "It was the greatest day of my life."The world was always just black and white for him, and nothing else. As a child, he was taught that it'd only be temporary. All children were told so. Yet, as the years went on, it seemed everyone was beginning to see color, including his sister. Everyone but him. Byleth was beginning to think he just didn't have a soulmate.Then that all changed when he met two very excitable teens. They both greeted him with smiles and cheery faces, and Byleth's world was suddenly flooded with bright colors all around. He understood it all now. There was just one problem: he didn't know which boy was the one.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Dedue Molinaro, Caspar von Bergliez/Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth, Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Sylvain Jose Gautier, Female Byleth is with Edelgard, My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 8
Kudos: 121





	1. Monochrome

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative titles:
> 
> -Byleth's a Switch and You Can't Convince Me Otherwise  
> -Being a Tutor to Two Hot Dudes Fuckin' Sucks  
> -Ah Shit, Here We Go Again With This Trope  
> -The Twins are Gay
> 
> Also, I'm well aware that I switched the names for Byleth since Byleth is the name for F! My Unit in the Chinese version of the game while Bylet is the male counterpart, and I've seen people follow that rule but Imma be the first to break it cause why not.

Jeralt knew his children were strange. They were never normal. Hell, if he wasn't their father, he'd figure they weren't even human. He was grateful that his daughter, Bylet, seemed to express her emotions more openly than her twin did. She would at least smile, and he once found her having fun burying a horseshoe crab under the sand while they were at the beach. Her brother, on the other hand, never once grinned, and he always spent his time either reading or listening to music in solitude. He hated going outside and preferred the comfort of indoors if leaving the house wasn't a requirement. He'd always have this blank, unreadable stare on his face. The only time he ever showed emotion was when he and Bylet would get into a squabble, and the twins would try to prove who was the more dominant of the two. It always ended with Jeralt having to forcibly separate them before they bashed each other's heads in. That he at least expected when it came to having twins. But one thing remained the same for them: their hearts never beat within their chests.

It was a phenomenon for sure. When they were born, the doctors had Jeralt nearly believe he had lost both his wife and his children in the same evening. But they reassured him. They were well and healthy, and while they did have a pulse their hearts just...did nothing. Remained still within their ribs, tucked between their lungs, and didn't move once in their lives. But there was one last thing that worried Jeralt about his children.

Would they ever find a soulmate?

Considering how off-putting the twins could be, he worried if their soulmates would be discouraged from ever interacting with them, nevermind staying by their side. He hoped that whatever divine beings out there watching over their world would have enough sense to let his children be as happy as anyone else. At least let them have the opportunity. But Jeralt's worries were vanquished when his daughter brought home a young girl, claiming her as her girlfriend.

It was the twins' last year of high school, and they were preparing to graduate. Prom was coming up, and he asked his son if he was going with anyone. Byleth only scoffed.

"What's the point?" he asked. "It's a waste of money."

"You're just saying that because you have no one to go with," his sister pointed out.

The boy looked up from his book to give his twin a scowl and matching glare. "Even if someone were to ask me, I'd still say no. Like I said: it's a waste of money, and a waste of time."

Bylet rolled her eyes. "Sure. Whatever you say, brother."

Byleth opened his mouth to retort and shoot back at his sibling, but a knock at the door interrupted him. Bylet jumped up from her spot on the couch and raced towards the door, shouting an "I'm coming!". From the hallway perpendicular to their living room, Byleth and Jeralt heard the sound of their front door opened, followed by cheering laughter. Bylet returned to the living room with a girl, the two of them holding hands. The twin gave her family a big smile as she gestured to the girl beside her.

"Father. Byleth. Meet Edelgard, my girlfriend," she said. Bylet turned to Edelgard with a wink. "And my prom date."

The two men could hardly believe it. While Byleth stared at his twin in utter disbelief, though his facial expression said otherwise, Jeralt nearly choked on his glass of water. Bylet almost laughed at their reaction. Edelgard took a step forward and extended her hand to the two.

"It's wonderful to meet you. Bylet's told me much about you, Mr. Eisner. And I've seen you around the campus, Byleth. You and your sister look very much alike. I suppose the rumors of you being twins was true."

Byleth only gave her a nod of acknowledgment. He was too busy staring at his sister silently. Though no one else in the room could tell, Bylet saw the look of jealousy in her brother's eyes, and it made her heart sink from the guilt. Jeralt, on the other hand, stood to properly greet the snow-haired young woman and shook her hand.

"It's great to see that Bylet's found someone special," he said, smiling. "I always worried that their lack of...expression would put people off. Hell, I didn't even think they'd be able to make friends. But it's nice to see that isn't the case."

"On the contrary," Edelgard replied. "Bylet is a kind soul, and I'm lucky to have her in my life."

"I'm assuming this means you can see color now." It was Byleth would pushed the question onto them. Edelgard was taken by surprise when the other twin spoke, and Bylet gave him a glare. The couple exchanged a quick glance. Then, it was Bylet who responded.

"No. We're not soulmates," she said. "But I still enjoy Edelgard's company, and she enjoys mine. Our fates shouldn't determine who we want to spend our time with."

"I agree."

Byleth said nothing in return. He gave a hum, looked at his sister one last time, and then returned his gaze to the book in front of him. He laid against the back of the couch as he read through the pages, paying the other three in the room no mind any longer. Jeralt let out a sigh.

"Sorry if that seemed a little rude," he said, apologizing on his son's behalf. "Byleth isn't as good at filtering himself as his sister. He can be very blunt at times."

Edelgard shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about, Mr. Eisner."

"Anyway," Bylet said. "Edel and I have some studying to do, so if you'll excuse us."

Jeralt gave his daughter a nod. "Got it. Just...don't do anything reckless, if you catch my drift."

To that, Edelgard and Bylet's cheeks turned crimson. The latter let out a groan. "Father, please, it hasn't even been a week yet."

"I'm just saying. I wouldn't mind if you two went that far, but be safe with it."

Byleth nearly let out a chuckle at the conversation, but restrained himself. It was only when his sister and her new girlfriend retreated upstairs did he actually let out a laugh. Jeralt turned to him, smirking.

"I'll be telling you the same thing when you bring someone home."

Another scoff came from him. "Like that'd ever happen."

"Hey, you never know. I once thought you and your sister would never get along with kids your age. But look at her now! She's got someone, even if they aren't soulmates. It's still progress, kid, and I know you're capable of the same."

Byleth felt touched by his father's words, yet he couldn't help but doubt himself. It's been this way for years. Yes, many girls have approached Byleth and asked to stare into his eyes to test if they'd see color. Of course, it never worked, and Byleth knew it'd never work. Fate would not be so cruel as to pair him with a woman despite his clear attraction to the same sex. Byleth noticed it little by little as he grew into his teenage years, but it wasn't until he developed his first actual crush on a boy in school that he even knew of such attraction. But even then, he still never found his soulmate. He expected it to be easier since, well, men did hang out with other men very often, the same way women often hung out with other women during childhood and adolescence. But, if anything, it's made it more difficult.

The world was always dull and gray for him. Much like everyone else born into this world, he knew he'd have to find his soulmate to be able to see color. Most would find theirs by the time they were in the beginning of high school, and from what he's seen that much was true. Nearly all of his classmates have found their soulmate, and those who haven't expect to find them in college. Which, now, wasn't that far away. But Byleth and Bylet? The two thought they never stood a chance. So they just settled for finding someone they just liked. It was hard for Byleth to follow such a promise to himself, and it was clear that his sister had an easier time if Edelgard was any indication. All the men Byleth was interested in, even just a little bit, were too much for him. They always seemed to lack something that made him want to give it a try, and it came to a point that he'd rather let fate pick his partner considering all the guys he's ever fallen for. But then came the question: did he even have a soulmate?

As he thought about it more and more, Byleth felt himself growing depressed. He felt he needed answers. What was it like to have a soulmate? Was it like what everyone said it was? Was everyone satisfied with their soulmate? Was there ever a case where two people bonded just weren't right for each other, despite what fate has brought to them? All these questions ran through his mind, and the teen couldn't help but turn to his father.

"Father. What's seeing color like?"

The question was strange in Jeralt's opinion, but he assumed it only natural for his son. "Well, kid, it's hard to describe," he answered.

"Were you happy when you saw it for the first time? When you met our mother?"

Jeralt, though taken by surprise by his son's insinuation, gave a heavy-hearted chuckle. He responded with a somber tone, "It was the greatest day of my life."

"And...were you sad when it left? When she left?"

"Of course." Looking back on it, Jeralt was devastated. "I remember those days like it was just last week."

"Can you tell me about them?"

Jeralt looked at his son, and gave a nod. "When I met your mother, I was actually about your age. I was in the military at the time and thought it unnecessary to have a soulmate. Figured I'd either die before I found mine, or just leave a broken heart behind when someone finally put a bullet through my head. But then I was injured during a mission, and I was taken to a medical tent in one of the nearby towns where we were stationed. That's when I met your mother."

"Was she beautiful?"

"More gorgeous than the most beautiful thing to exist," he replied, smiling fondly at the memory. "She tended to my wounds while I rested, and when I finally opened my eyes I saw her, and suddenly my world was bright with colors splashed on every corner of the room. I saw her hair, her eyes, heard her voice as she smiled at me, and fell in love." A grim expression replaced the happy look on Jeralt's face. "The day you two were born was the day she passed away, and my world went back to black and white. We expected your sister to come into the world. You were a surprise. But I suppose she couldn't handle it, and passed out in the middle of birthing you. Her heart starting slowing, and everyone was in a panic to get you out as soon as possible. There was no saving her, but the doctors thought they could save at least one life that day. As soon as you popped out, all calm and collected like your sister, that was when the monitor..."

Jeralt stopped himself, his face tigthening as the memory played in his head. Byleth felt a heavy sensation in his possibly-non-existent heart and looked away. He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No." Jeralt immediately stopped his son. "Don't apologize. I may have lost the love of my life, but at least she gave me two wonderful children to remember her."

"Are we anything like her?" Byleth asked.

His father laughed. "A little too much if you ask me." His fond smile returned. "Your sister takes after me a bit, what with her being so hard-headed most of the time. You are too, but she's got a little more of it inside her. But she inherited your mother's beauty. You, on the other hand, got her attitude it seems. She was just as blunt as you sometimes, and didn't bother to smile unless it was with me."

Byleth thought about it for a moment. He always wondered what his mother was like, and now that Jeralt's told him he wondered if she thought the same things he did. Did she think she'd never meet her soulmate? Did she ever feel depressed at the thought that maybe, just maybe, she'd be alone forever? That she'd never see color once in her life?

The twin set his book down, closing it and placing it on the coffee table in front of the sofa. "I'm going to take a nap," he said.

Jeralt gave a nod, understanding that his son might've wanted some alone time. "Dinner's in an hour. I'll wake you up when it's ready."

"Thanks."

With that, Byleth made his way up the stairs and towards his room. He passed by Bylet's to see her and Edelgard studying history, laughing from time and time when one got a question wrong and the other teased them for it. He shook his head as he continued to walk. Opening his door, he stepped foot into his room and shut the door behind him. Byleth's room was rather bland to the very few who saw it. Just study or group project partners. No one special. The walls were a light beige and the floor was covered in dark oak, wooden floorboards. There was an old bookshelf in the other corner of the room, and adjacent to his brown and white bed was a window with white shutters. There was also a small, white carpet underneath his silver-coated, metal desk where his laptop, some books, writing tools, and paper laid. There, he'd work on assignments and personal projects that often consisted of, well, fanfiction. Byleth would rather die than admit that he read and wrote fanfiction of his favorite anime and video game characters. Only his sister knew of his passion, and he'd rather keep it that way.

Byleth dragged his feet as he walked over to his bed, plopping face-first onto it and burying his face into the pillow. He cuddled into the sheets to keep himself warm, hoping the heat would lull him into a dreamless sleep to distract him from his thoughts. Thoughts of hopelessness and unease. Thoughts that he'd remain alone for the rest of his life. He was sure he was being ridiculous. Byleth was usually so poised and self-aware when something went awry. He supposed it was just his sensitivity to the prospect of soulmates that brought about this change of behavior. Just thinking about the idea of soulmates made him depressed.

The teen let out a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes. No more thinking. Just sleep. He just needed some sleep. When he awoke, Edelgard will be gone, and it'd just be him and his family for the rest of the night. No girlfriends. No talk of soulmates and couples. Just a nice family enjoying some good steak.

What else could a boy like him dream of?


	2. Color

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth manages to befriend his sister's girlfriend, which leads to him meeting two unexpected new pals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just beat Golden Deer route and I'm still upset you can't romance Claude as a male. I knew Dimitri would be straight cause he didn't throw that many vibes if you don't pick his house, but even if you don't pick Golden Deer this man still flirts. Thus, this story was born.

A good week had gone by since Byleth and Jeralt met Edelgard, and, now that her and his sister were a couple, Byleth noticed the white-haired girl a lot more. He'd see her in the halls rushing to class and eating next to his sister in the cafeteria. He'd notice her quietly reading in the library with a few other classmates, and they once bumped into each other on accident. Byleth was late for class, having discussed his college applications with his counselor, and ran through the halls in a blind state of panic. They only bumped shoulders, but Edelgard was still thrown down to the ground. Byleth immediately paused, feeling guilty, and reached his hand out to her.

"My apologies," he said. The girl took his hand and used it as leverage to pull herself back up. "I was just running late. Guess I should watch where I'm going more carefully."

"I'll say." Edelgard sighed. "It's quite alright. But you should hurry to class. I'm sure Bylet would never let you hear the end of it if you were late," she said, giggling.

"Tell me about it," Byleth groaned in agreement, rolling his eyes at just the thought of his sister scolding him. While Byleth was seen as the more serious one, Bylet was the real helicopter parent. She always worried over her brother and kept an eye on him at all times, and if he did anything he wasn't supposed to she was the first to give him a good talking to.

"Hey, you should sit with us at lunch today," Edelgard suggested. "Some of my friends have become quite curious since your sister started sitting with us. She talks about you often, and they want to get a sneak peek themselves."

Byleth quirked a brow. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'm not very good at...socializing." The dark-haired twin rubbed the back of his neck. His embarrassment wasn't clear to Edelgard, but anyone who truly knew Byleth would be able to spot it within a second.

"I'll do all the talking if that makes you more comfortable."

"I still don't-" He took a pause. Jeralt did say he hoped Byleth and Bylet would make more friends. Maybe this was his chance? He'd finally stop being such a loner. If Bylet managed to befriend these people, how difficult could it be for him? So, with a heavy sigh, he replied, "Alright. By the window across from the entrance, right?"

Edelgard gave a firm nod. "Correct. See you then."

Byleth gave a nod in return, and he continued to make his way to class. He didn't run, however. He figured he was already late. What was the use in rushing? Might as well take his time and preserve his energy.

* * *

Byleth quietly sat in his chair and stared up at the clock. Having already completed his work, the teacher decided to leave him to his own devices. He waited anxiously as the hands of the clock turned slowly. Just one more minute...

_BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!_

Students jumped up from their seats, rushing to pack their bags as their teacher's instructions fell upon deaf ears. Everyone excitedly left their classrooms and made their way towards the cafeteria. Byleth found himself carried away by the large sea of students flocking through the halls of the school. Before he knew it, he was standing in the middle of the cafeteria making his way to grab some food. He needed to eat first before he went to look for Edelgard.

Once he collected his meal, he managed to spot her from some ways away. Her appearance was unmistakable, and he approached the table with his tray in hand. There were a number of other students sitting there as well. A boy with dark hair covering the right side of his face sat directly next to Edelgard, and across from him was a girl with purple, braided hair. Beside her was a sleeping boy with long, green hair pulled back into a loose ponytail, next to him was another purple-haired girl that seemed so wary and cautious and a small boy with bright, blue hair. Lastly, there was a young girl with long, mahogany locks sitting across from a gentle-looking fellow with orange hair. What a colorful bunch they seemed to be.

Edelgard was the first to notice Byleth approach their table. "Ah, Byleth, there you are. Welcome," she greeted.

He gave a nod. "Hello again, Edelgard. Mind if I um... That is to say, can I, uh..."

The blue-haired boy scoffed. "Hey, Edelgard, who's this guy?"

"That's Bylet's twin brother," the orange-haired fellow said. "Don't you see? They even have the same stoic expression."

"Bylet at least smiles at lot more, though."

"Anyway," Edelgard interjected, interrupting her peers. "Byleth, won't you join us for lunch? You can take a seat right next to Linhardt."

Edelgard pointed to the resting student with long, green hair. Byleth cautiously sat beside him, taking extra caution as to not wake the tired kid. Byleth took a look at his meal, and while it didn't seem poisonous he didn't exactly have much of an appetite anymore either.

"Food's not so appealing, is it?" the blue-haired boy spoke again. "I'm Caspar, by the way. Nice to meet ya."

"Oh, that's right! I do think introductions are in order," Edelgard said.

"I'm Dorothea," said the long-haired girl. She gave Byleth a wink. "Wonderful to meet you."

Byleth shifted in his seat. _Not again_ , he thought to himself. His attention was quickly taken off the flirtatious girl by the strange boy sitting beside Edelgard.

"My name is Hubert," he said. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"I am Petra. Nice to be meeting you," the girl with the braided hair said, smiling warmly at the twin. "And this is being Bernadetta." The other purple-haired girl gave a shy wave to Byleth before looking back at her tray.

Byleth smiled in response when, suddenly, the orange-haired boy stood up from his seat and boomed, "And I'm Ferdinand von Aegir! Wonderful to meet you, and I'm sure it's been wonderful meeting me!"

"Sit down, Ferdinand," Caspar groaned. "I swear, this guy... Always going on and on about how great he is."

"Hey!"

"That's enough you two." Edelgard turned to Byleth with a smile. "Sorry. They're just excited to finally get to meet you."

"Hell yeah! Bylet's brother is a little too quiet for my taste, though."

"I, for one, enjoy the silence Caspar," Linhardt groaned, his eyes fluttering opened as he let out a yawn and sat up from his seat. "It makes it much easier to take a nap."

"Of course you'd say that."

"Guys, not in front of the new guy," Dorothea scolded. She turned to Byleth. "They aren't intimidating you, are they?"

Byleth looked away nervously. "Well..."

"Hey, princess!"

 _Can't I talk for two minutes?_ Byleth thought bitterly. Between all the bickering within this group, and Byleth's own anxiety starting to show through, the teen was beginning to grow frustrated with all this... _interaction_. How did his sister manage to put up with these guys? It was a wonder to him. At least he knew for sure just how much he hated socializing.

Byleth turned his head with a glare, wondering just who was coming over to make even more of a racket. Then, his eyes widened as he saw two other boys walking towards them. The one to the left had a grin on his face, a grin that never seemed to reach his eyes, and his emerald eyes pierced into Byleth's very being. A part of his ruffled, wild, brown hair was tied into a small braid that hung by the side of his face, and his warm skin radiated and glowed under the cafeteria lights. He was adorned in a white undershirt with a golden jacket thrown over him, blue skinny jeans, and brown boots. Beside him, to the right, was another boy with sun-kissed hair and deep, blue eyes. His skin was like milk, and his blue button-up shirt gave him a rather professional look.

Wait. Was Byleth...seeing color?

"What do you want?" Edelgard groaned.

"Nothin' much," the boy to the left replied. "Just wondering what all the shouting over here is about. Everyone gawking over your new girlfriend?"

"Actually, it's her brother. She didn't come to school today." Edelgard turned to Byleth. "Sorry about him, Byleth. Claude could be...eccentric at times."

The boy, Claude, turned to Byleth, and his grin grew. "Well, would you look at that. Nice to meet you, Byleth. The name's Claude von Riegan. And this-" He placed a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "Is my good pal, Dimitri."

"Claude is the captain of the school's football team," Edelgard informed the twin. "He's very good at what he does, but he tends to be a bit over his head." Claude faked a frown as he dramatically grasped the front of his shirt, right where his heart was.

"Oh, how you wound me, sweet princess."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Anyway," Dimitri spoke up, his tone stern. "I am the leader of the school's fencing club. We've won about three championships so far, and aim to achieve our fourth trophy of the year."

"Not before we Golden Deer get ours," Claude replied.

Edelgard scoffed. "As if the Black Eagles would ever let either one of you win before we do. Our intelligence puts us at the very top of the county."

"Yeah. Come back to me when you're going to a state championship."

"The only reason you've gone to state, Claude, is because this country deems football more important than fencing or math." Dimitri crossed his arms over his chest. "And even if Edelgard can't make to that level, the Blue Lions have already achieved that goal."

If Byleth were honest, he was totally lost at this point. All he understood as the trio bickered with one another was that Claude was into football, which would make sense considering the jacket, and Dimitri did fencing, and he assumed that, by the sound of it, Edelgard was a mathematician. At least, that was the only thing related to math that he could think of that came with competitions. But what was this about blue lions and golden deer? Were those the names of their teams? And why were they competing with each other if they were all in different categories of championships?

Byleth's attention was drawn back to his surroundings thanks to Edelgard's sighing. "Forget this. Lunch is almost over, and thanks to you two our afternoon with Byleth has been ruined."

"Well, I wouldn't say it's been ruined," Claude corrected. "If anything, we've made it more exciting, haven't we Byleth?" The jock gave Byleth a wink and a smile, and the teen swore he felt himself blush.

"Do you mind?" Dimitri butted in. The blond looked towards Byleth, giving a small and comforting smile. The twin felt like his face was on fire. "My apologies. One other thing about Claude: he tends to be very flirtatious."

"Hey. At least I'm not like Sylvain."

Dimitri's smile fell. "Oh, shut it, will you?"

_BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!_

Everyone's ears perked up at the sound of the bell, and students began to pile out of the cafeteria to their next class. The Black Eagles all stood up and said their goodbyes to Byleth before heading to class. As everyone else was beginning to make their way out, only the three leaders and Byleth lingered behind. Edelgard was the first to speak up.

"I suppose I'll see you around," she told him. "Tell Bylet I said hello, and that I hope she's okay. I'll be too busy this afternoon to text her. You'll do this for me, won't you?"

Byleth gave a nod. "I'll be sure to tell her your concerns."

Edelgard smiled at him. "Thank you," she said, and then took her leave.

"I should probably get going too," Claude mentioned. "See you around." Another wink came from the jock, and Byleth felt the familiar rush of being flustered crawl through him.

"I must leave as well. Tell me, Byleth, what class do you have next?" the blond asked.

"English," he replied.

"Really?" Dimitri gave another smile. "What a coincidence. I have that as well. Do you mind if we walk there together?"

Without even thinking, Byleth replied, "Sure." Dimitri seemed pleased with the answer, and offered his arm to Byleth like a knight would with a maiden. With a red hue across his cheeks, Byleth gratefully took it and allowed Dimitri to walk him through the halls towards their class.

Still, one thing confused him. He was able to see color after looking at Dimitri and Claude. But that left one question remaining: which of the two was his soulmate?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, I'm sorry if some of the characters seem OOC. I just started the Blue Lions route and have yet to start Black Eagles. So forgive me if some characters seemed a bit off.  
> I also think I made Claude cockier than usual??? I have no clue.


	3. Figuring it Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Eisen family tries to piece the puzzle together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late update. I've been so busy with work, and I'm rushing to get Winter Break homework done, and I'm about a quarter of a way through the Blue Lions route, and I'm trying REALLY HARD to avoid spoilers (more specifically when Dimitri freakin' loses it 'cause I want to feel the raw emotion that comes with watching the mad lad suffer).
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this rushed piece of garbage.

The moment the last bell rang, Byleth didn't hesitate to race his way back home. He knew his father wouldn't be back for some time but the news he had was far too exciting, and altogether terrifying, to keep it to himself. His sister was home after all. So he had at least some extra time to try and figure out what the hell was going on. As soon as the green-haired teen made it to his front porch, he unlocked the door and slammed it open.

"Bylet, holy fuck!" he shouted.

Bylet, who was sitting on the couch, jumped in alarm at the sound of her brother. The shorter twin gave him a cold glare as she turned away from her show.

"Byleth, what the hell?" she hissed. "Don't scare me like that."

Byleth ignored his sister and shut the door behind him as he ran towards her, tossing his bag to the floor. "Bylet, you wouldn't believe what happened today."

All it took to understand for Bylet was one good look at her brother, and she was suddenly filled with worry. Byleth was the one who rarely ever showed any emotion, and when he wasn't with family he didn't show any at all. But it seemed the crevices of his face provided evidence of otherwise, and in those matching eyes of his did she see a mix of elation and utter terror. Bylet grabbed her twin's hand and guided him to sit beside her on the couch. She placed a gentle hand on his back, the other still grasping his gloved hand, and asked, "What's going on? Why are you so worked up?"

"By, I..." Byleth took a breath, his eyes shut. He couldn't stand it to see all these bright colors around him. But when he opened them again, his hopes that it'd all disappear were quickly flushed down the drain. "Bylet, I... I can see."

"...Well, duh, I sure hope you can," she replied. "Did you think you were blind this whole-"

"No, no sister, I mean I can see _color_." Byleth didn't miss the way his sister stiffened. "I was sitting with Edelgard and her friends, and then I met some other people she knew. Some jock named Claude and this guy in the fencing club named Dimitri. I took one look at them and then I just... Everything hit me all at once, and I-"

"Brother, calm down. Okay? Just take a deep breath."

Byleth complied with his sister's request, inhaling deeply through his nose and exhaling just the same. If he had a heartbeat, he was sure it'd be racing a mile a minute. Bylet, satisfied, says, "Okay, so you met two guys at lunch with Edelgard, and then you saw color?"

"Yes."

"So, which one is your...?" She left the word hanging in the air, and everything grew quiet, but her brother quickly filled the silence.

"I don't know. That's the problem. I saw them at the same time, and when I did everything just burst to life. How the hell am I supposed to tell which one is my soulmate?"

Bylet chewed on her bottom lip. "I... I'm not sure. But when Father comes home, we'll ask him what to do."

Byleth didn't know if he liked the sound of that. For their whole lives, the twins only really ever had their father to rely on. Whether it be for emotional support or tending to their basic needs. They grew up with no mother, no friends, no distant relatives. Nothing. It was always just the three of them. The twins never hesitated to tell their father of the emotional burdens they carried upon their shoulders, and whenever possible did Jeralt lift that burden with comforting words or wise advice. But Byleth didn't know if this was a problem their father could ever help with. He didn't want to appear as a burden to him. He's done massive research on soulmates and their dynamics in the world, and not once has he ever heard of someone having two of them. So he doubted his father would know what to do either.

Still, the taller twin felt he had no other option. So, begrudgingly, he gave a nod. "Alright. When Father comes home, I'll tell him everything."

Bylet gave her brother a small smile, though he knew it was the biggest one she could manage. It didn't have to be a large grin in order for him to understand the meaning behind it. The message was as clear as day: _"we'll figure this out together"_.

* * *

Once Jeralt returned to their serene little home, the twins practically pounced on their father. The man let out a shout of surprise as the two spoke in incoherent sentences, talking faster than any man could run. However, it was clear they were in a state of panic, especially by the looks on their faces.

"Whoa, whoa, what's all of this?" he asked. "Bylet, you should still be in bed. You can't get better if you're running around like a nutcase. And Byleth, is everything alright? This is the first time I've seen you worried since, well, that incident with the spatula."

Byleth flushed. "Can we please not talk about that?"

Jeralt chuckled. "I was only teasing. Now, what happened?"

Bylet looked expectingly at her brother, and the twins exchanged a nod. Byleth turned back to their father, took a deep breath, and practically shook as he said, "Father, I... I have something to tell you. It's...important."

"Um..." Jeralt raised a brow in concern. "Okay. You didn't do anything, did you?"

"No. I..." Byleth paused until he felt his sister grasp his shoulder in a comforting manner. "Father, I sat with Edelgard and her friends today at lunch. They wanted to get to know me better since Bylet talked about me so often to them after she and Edelgard started dating and sitting together. Then two more people showed up, and when I looked at them I... I was suddenly able to see color."

Byleth's gaze fell to the floor, and the silence from his father prompted him to continue. "There was Claude. He wears a yellow jacket like any other jock would, and his eyes are the greenest things I've ever seen. His hair is a dark brown, at least I think it's dark, and a few strands are tied into a little braid hanging away from his wavy locks. Then there's Dimitri: the leader of the fencing club all dressed in blue, just like his eyes, and his hair is like the little yellow canaries you used to talk about so much when we were little."

"But the thing is that... I don't know. Do you think it's possible to have two soulmates, Father? I only saw color when I met them, and it occurred at the same time. They both approached the table and greeted me. I... I'm so lost, and confused. I don't know what to do."

A moment of silence fell upon them, and Bylet and Byleth looked up at their father. Jeralt was quiet, but his wide eyes spoke volumes. He, too, was surprised by this turn of events. The short moment ended when he let out a sigh, shaking his head.

"No. I don't think it's possible to have two soulmates. Then again, there are endless possibilities in the world. Who knows? You might just be an anomaly, kid. You two always were." Jeralt gave a teasing smile. "Still, that doesn't change the fact that one of them has to be the one. Do you know anything about these two, Bylet?"

Jeralt and Byleth turned to the girl, and it was then that Byleth came to a realization. Claude and Dimitri were also Edelgard's friends. Surely Bylet's met them before?

Bylet only shrugged, however. "I've seen them around, and we've bumped into each other, but I wouldn't say I know them very well. The most they've ever shared with me would be trivial: their schedules, their teammates, and a brief of their home. Nothing more than that."

"Do you know if either of them could see color?" Jeralt asked.

"Hmm..." Bylet put her finger to her chin as she looked up to the ceiling, deep in thought. "As far as I recall, no. Neither of them were able to see color. I met them just briefly after Edelgard and I got together, and they asked us if we could see it. Of course the answer was 'no', then Claude made a comment about the four of us 'being in the same boat'. To that, Dimitri agreed."

 _So neither can see color. But if one of them is my soulmate, then one must've noticed the sudden change in scenery_ , Byleth thought to himself. _It's just a matter of determining which one._

"Well, then, that settles it," Jeralt said. "Looks like this is a personal mission for you, kid." Byleth's father turned to him with a grin. "You're just gonna have to hang out with both of them until one spills the beans. But I don't think it's a good idea to let it slip that _you_ could see color. Not yet, anyway."

"So I have to pretend I still can't see color around them?" he asked.

"Exactly."

"But why can't he just tell them both, and ask if one of them could also see color?" Bylet adds.

Jeralt sighs. "I've only heard of such things, but while it's impossible to have two soulmates it _is_ possible to have a soulmate, yet not be theirs, and vice versa. Most people are discouraged from asking if the other person could see color because of such a possibility. It's a low chance, but a chance nonetheless, and I'd rather not put my children through that. Ignorance is bliss, as they say."

And Jeralt was right. Just the thought of being able to see color when their soulmate couldn't, or not being able to see while their soulmate could, made the twins' skin crawl and their hearts sink. It was a depressing thought, and both prayed neither one had to experience such a thing.

"Anyway, besides, isn't it better to see if either of these boys are the right fit?" Jeralt suggested. "There are also many people who just couldn't click despite being soulmates, and that's why marriages can't be legal unless the newlyweds are in agreement with it, though it's still recent. It's also why you don't see as many forced couples anymore." 

"And the opposite is just as true, which is why no one questioned why Edelgard and I are together, despite not being soulmates."

Jeralt smiled again. "Bingo."

"So, we have a plan now?" Byleth asked.

"Seems like it."

"Great. Now, with that out of the way, let's start on dinner. What do you kids want?"

Without hesitation, both Eisner twins shouted, "Fish!"

Jeralt couldn't help but let out a laugh. The twins allowed their father to settle back into their home before the three of them headed into the kitchen to start on their meal. Their family was far from perfect, in fact it was nowhere near normal, but they at least had each other. That was more than any of them could've asked for.


	4. New Member

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In an effort to grow closer to Claude and Dimitri, Byleth decides to be a part of their team. But which will he choose?

Byleth couldn't remember feeling so anxious about school. He felt his body tremble ever so slightly as he and his sister made their way towards the front gate of the building. Students were piling in in multitudes, all greeted by the sight of their Vice Principal, Seteth. The man, stern and strict towards the students, stood just well below Jeralt's height. His green hair was always kept out, similarly colored eyes keeping track of each student that passed him by, and a small beard trailing from his chin up his jaw completed his look. The Eisner twins only interacted with him on few occasions, and frankly preferred to keep it that way.

Just like all the others, the twins walked by the authority figure without so much as batting an eye. They didn't greet him like all the other students did—at least, those who had enough courage to—and were silent as they made their way inside. It wasn't that long into actually being in school that Byleth heard a familiar laugh, that which could only belong to the brown-haired beauty that was Claude. The twin's body stiffened, his feet gluing him to his spot, and he whipped his head around like prey desperately searching for its predator. Bylet noticed this within her brother and placed a hand upon his shoulder.

"It's going to be alright," she reassured him. "Just act natural."

"We are the exact opposite of 'natural', Bylet."

Despite her blank stare, Byleth knew she was ticked by his statement. "But you get my point. Talk to them. You'll be fine."

Byleth released a sigh. "I don't know how you do it, but fine. I'll try."

"Good boy. Now, get to class."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied nearly rolling his eyes, though his voice lacked the sarcastic tone his sister knew his words held.

The Eisner twins then went their separate ways. Byleth headed down the hall once more towards his first class, praying to the goddess the day wouldn't go as terribly as he believed it would.

* * *

Lunch once more rolled around, and after getting his lunch did Byleth nervously walk around in hopes of finding at least one of the two boys. He already spotted his sister sitting with the Black Eagles, all of them laughing and smiling. His sister's laughter wasn't as loud, and her smile not as wide, but he could tell she was beginning to enjoy herself. Most importantly, he didn't miss the look in her eyes as she stared at Edelgard, and Byleth felt a twinge of...something. He couldn't quite name the emotion. It was an ache, deep in his chest, and his body suddenly felt much heavier. The twin allowed a small frown to etch onto his features, though it was an expression anyone around him couldn't possibly notice.

"Hey, Byleth!"

Ah, that familiar voice. Byleth's head turned just in time to see Claude, adorned in his jacket and jeans, waving to him as he approached. The twin was sure this would be the part where his heart would skip a beat, for he knew his face was lightly flushed now. He could feel the warmth spread across his cheeks as the handsome teen walked up to him.

"Ah, Claude," he said, attempting to sound as collected as possible. "It's great seeing you again."

Claude chuckled. "Really, now? Gosh, By, I'm flattered!" The brunette gave Byleth a wink. "So, not sitting with Her Highness today?" he asked.

Byleth turned once again to see Edelgard and his sister before returning his gaze to the jock. "No. They just wanted to meet me since, apparently, my sister spoke so often about me."

"Sister?" the other asked. "Oh! You meet Bylet. Right. Sheesh, despite looking alike, I keep forgetting you guys are related."

"How so?"

"Well..." Claude couldn't help but scratch the back of his neck, his smile fading and his gaze turning away from the other teen. "You see, and no offense, Bylet's not as uh... Unresponsive as you are. I don't think I've seen you smile once since we've met."

Byleth blinked. "We've only had one small conversation. Though, I will admit..." The less responsive twin looked back at his sister once more, catching her just in time to see her laugh. "Bylet has always been much better at socializing than I."

Byleth sighed. "Anyway, would it be alright if I sat with you?" he asked.

Claude's smile returned. "Oh, my. So forward. Well, can't say no to that."

The brunette extended his hand, stepping to the side as a sign for Byleth to take the lead. The other boy followed it and walked ahead with Claude shortly behind him, their food trays in hand. They walked together with Byleth's pace slowing to match with Claude's.

"You're just gonna love the others," the jock tells him. "Hilda can be a little lazy at times, but she's the best quarterback in the whole school, and Lorenz, uh... Well, he's got spunk, I guess. Oh, and Lysithea-"

Byleth felt guilty for not listening to the teen's rant about his friends, but he couldn't help it. He was just so mesmerized now, all fear that came from the colors he could see nearly disappearing into thin air as he stared at Claude like he was a painting. He examined closely at every little detail he could possibly find. From the small brown curls of his hair, to the brown and gold insignia resting on the sleeve of his jacket, and, goddess above, those eyes. From the moment Byleth could see color, when he wasn't freaking out, he would gaze upon the beauty of nature that he held so dear. All the trees and bushes and grass he was able to see were nothing in comparison to the shining emeralds Claude possessed for eyes. He felt entranced by them, as if some sort of spell was placed upon him, and he felt the urge to stare into those green orbs for all of eternity.

Unfortunately, a loud shout interrupted the teen's daydreaming, and his head spun to see them quickly approaching a table of students. There was a girl waving towards them, her pink hair tied into two, long pigtails. To either side of her was a tall and muscular boy and a red-haired girl. On the other end of the table were two boys with a girl sitting between them. One of the boys had short, purple hair and sharp features while the other had lime-green locks and round glasses. The girl between them had blue hair and dark circles underneath her eyes. Next to them was a short albino with long, white hair and large, child-like, pinkish-red eyes. They certainly looked like an interesting bunch.

Byleth followed Claude as the brunette took a seat, watching him smile and greet the others. "Hey guys!" he shouted. "Guess who's joinin' the Golden Deer?"

Claude then turned to Byleth, gesturing to him. The awkward boy looked around at the strange faces, his expression blank yet his mind unsure of what to do. All he could manage was a small "hello" to come from his lips.

"Bit of a shy guy, ain't he?" the pink-haired girl chirped. "I'm Hilda, Claude's best friend. Tell me: he hasn't been causing you any trouble now, has he?"

The brunette let out an exaggerated gasp. "Why, I would never!" he cried. Then, cutting the act, he gave a chuckle. "Okay, maybe I would, but Byleth chose to sit with us. A hundred percent his decision. Ain't that right?"

Byleth gave a nod. "Yes. Claude's been very considerate towards me, though I've only known him since yesterday."

"Then you might want to leave while you still can," commented the purple-haired boy. "I'm Lorenz Hellman Gloucester. A pleasure, assuming you're staying."

Byleth, confused by the other's words, turned to Claude and asked, "Staying?"

The brunette let out a sigh. "Well, it's a bit hard to explain..."

"One of our linebackers quit last year, so we've been on the hunt for a new one," the albino girl replied. "Lysithea. And no, I'm not a child, so don't even think about treating me like one."

"I'm Ignatz, and Lysithea's right," the boy with the glasses spoke. "We've been looking for a new player to join our team."

"Though, he doesn't seem he could take a tackle," sighed the tall teen. "But I bet if we work out together, we'll get those muscles of yours bulging in no time!"

"Raphael, it doesn't take brute strength to be good at football," Hilda scolded.

"Though it does help to have it," the blue-haired girl muttered. Her voice was barely audible as she spoke just slightly over her breath. "I'm Marianne. I'm not the most useful person on the team, but I try."

"I agree. The name's Leonie," added the short-haired girl. "You're Captain Jeralt's kid, right? Well, one of them, anyway."

If Byleth was surprise, his face sure didn't show it. "You know my father?" he asked.

Leonie nodded. "He used to be the best football player here at the academy, but he quit before graduating to prepare for the army. I met him just before he got deployed," she replied, giving a wide and prideful grin. Well, at least that was one less stranger he had to talk to, he supposed.

"Anyway," Claude interjected. His green eyes looked over at Byleth, and the teen felt warmth radiate through his body. He both enjoyed and hated having those eyes on him. "Sorry to suddenly ask this of you, but how about it? We've got practice this Friday. We could assess your skills and see if you're a good fit for the team, assuming you're interested."

Byleth wondered: could this be his chance? He could join the Golden Deer and become closer to Claude, and maybe, just maybe, find out if he was really his soulmate. The teen glanced over at the other members, and he felt a small sense of security. They were certainly a rowdy bunch, perhaps not the most serious whatsoever, but he remembered his father's point about making friends. Perhaps some overly cheerful teens could be just what he needed?

Then again, what of Dimitri? Didn't he say he was in a fencing club? The Blue Lions, if his memory served him. If he joined the Golden Deer, would that mean he couldn't also join the Blue Lions? The two teams seemed to be competing against each other over trophies, as well as competing against the Black Eagles. Would one of the teams feel he was betraying them by joining the other?

Byleth didn't feel too positive, and so replied with, "I'll certainly think about it."

Hilda let out a whine. "Ah man, and here I was getting excited about the new guy."

Ignatz sighed. "Still, it is his decision. Shouldn't we let him choose?"

"That would depend," Claude said. His eyes never seemed to have left Byleth's figure. "You wouldn't happen to be hesitant because of little ol' Princey, would you?"

 _So he knew_ , Byleth thought.

"Of course not," the other replied. "I'm simply keeping my options open. I have been intrigued by fencing recently. I would like to meet both teams before I make any decision."

Claude let out a hum. "Sounds like you're not interested in Edelgard at all then."

He shook his head. "My sister is enough help for them. She's always been good at math. I lack such skill to help them, so joining them would be a waste of time for both parties."

Not a total lie, if he was being honest. Byleth did take an interest in fencing, but that was when he was a child. When most children dreamed of getting to hold swords and strike their enemy like knights would in the little fairy tales they read. Regardless of his abnormality, Byleth was at least normal in that regard. He wasn't all that great with math either. Yes, he was above average, but his sister was always better than him when it came to equations and the like. As for football, the teen wasn't totally against playing. Though he had no clue how to even play in the first place. But he wouldn't let that be known. The game was all about strategy in the end, and knowing what position was supposed to do what.

The others seemed convinced enough as their defensive stances seemed to relax, a barely noticeable change but a change nonetheless. Claude gave a little smile. "Well then, let me know if you ever change your mind." Next came the signature wink, and Byleth felt his face flush. "If you're still interested, practice is at 5 on Friday. You'll find us out on the field just behind the school. Or, you could just come to watch. Either is fine by me."

Byleth returned the gesture, a small grin gracing his features. "Of course. It'd be my pleasure."

The teen didn't miss the small look of surprise on the brunette's face. A look that, very quickly, turned to one of mischievous content. He saw the wheels turning in that head of his. Though, he had no time to ask questions. He needed to find Dimitri.

Just then, the bell rang, and everyone started piling out of the cafeteria to their next class. Byleth had English. English meant Dimitri.

Without a moment of hesitation, Byleth stood from his seat and waved goodbye to the small group of friends. He then nearly broke into a small dash through the halls to get to class, hoping he'd have the chance to see the blue-eyed blond.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! First thing I'm publishing for the new year, huh?  
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed my garbage.


	5. So You Think You Can Fence?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Byleth takes time after school to join the Blue Lions in fencing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. Things have been going crazy in life recently, and I've spent the last half hour rereading this whole thing to remember what the hell I was doing lol.
> 
> Then I found a bunch of mistakes and edited them. I really need to stop writing when it's the middle of the night, but then again it's the only chance I've had recently to use my laptop.
> 
> Also, sorry for the crappy writing since I don't know the first thing about fencing and had to do a lot of research just to add some action to this story.

Byleth made it just in time. When he walked through the door, he noticed the teacher wasn't in class yet. But Dimitri was.

When they walked into class together, he noticed the blond immediately went to sit beside the window before hesitating. He followed such actions with an offer for Byleth, to which the other politely declined.

"If you prefer the window, that's okay," he remembered saying. Dimitri gave a thankful nod to him before sitting down, and the rest of class went on like that. Both boys were a row apart from one another, but neither seemed to mind.

Well, Byleht _did_ mind, but he didn't want to give anything away. _If I even could_ , he quickly corrected himself. Maybe there were some advantages to his blank face after all? Neither Dimitri nor Claude many any comments about his blush, even though Byleth knew it was there. Then again, it could've just been his imagination. Claude would've said something about it, surely.

 _Not the time!_ Byleth scolded himself. He really needed to stop overthinking things.

The tuqoise-haired teen approached Dimitri's seat, giving no indication of his presence other than the tapping of his footsteps against the tiles. The blond glanced up and smiled as he saw him.

"Ah, Byleth, good to see you again. My apologies for not finding you during lunch. I was rather preoccupied with today's Blue Lions meeting after school," he said.

Byleth gave a nod. "That's alright. Actually, I was meaning to ask if I could meet the other members of your team?"

Dimitri's face extended into one of surprise. "Oh. Well, of course. I know it might be a little sudden, but you could join us this evening. Are you interested in fencing?" he asked.

"Sort of," the other replied. "I was intrigued by it as a child, but never had the chance to try it for myself."

"Ah. In which case, we'd be more than happy to show you the basics." Dimitri gave a small, gentle smile to Byleth. Goddess, why did he have to be so cute?

"Much appreciated," Byleth responded.

"Actually, there's one other thing I-"

The bell suddenly rang, signaling the start of the period. Anyone who came through the door after this second bell would be labeled as late. The teacher even walked in just before the bell went off. Class was to begin.

Byleth and Dimitri became distracted from the sound, their heads snapping towards the hallway from which the noise emanated from. When it ceased, they turned back to each other.

"...I'll tell you later," Dimitri promised.

Byleth gave another nod before taking his seat. Thank the goddess, too. Their teacher didn't seem to be in a very forgiving mood.

"Alright, everyone, calm down and take your seats," said the older man, Mr. Hanneman. A man in his early 50s who was well-trained in all things science, yet preferred the company of literature in his later years. "Today we'll be studying the themes woven into Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_. Is anyone familiar with the play?"

A student in the back raised their hand, and was promptly called upon. "It's some tragic love story about these two kids who fall in love in one night, get married the next day, and die the day after that," they said.

"That's...certainly one way to put it," Hanneman replied. "But yes, that is essentially the story. But does anyone know just why the play has become so significant to our society, even a good century after its creator had passed?"

To that, no student raised their hand. None seemed to have an answer. Byleth would've taken a guess, but he never read the tale. He only knew it as his peer explained it: two kids who believed themselves to be soulmates upon their first meeting, married each other a day after despite the feud between their families, and died on the third day in fear they've lost the other.

Thankfully, Hanneman had a solution to the silence. "And that, my dear students, is what we'll be going over today. So, if you'll turn your textbooks to page 542-"

The class went on rather slowly, with Byleth paying little to no attention during certain parts of the lecture. There was a lot of analyzing, writing, and reading. All things Byleth liked to do in his own time rather than in class. When the clock was just minutes away before the bell rang again, Hanneman turned to the class.

"We'll be working on this play for the next few weeks, which brings me to your summative grade for the quarter: in groups of no more than four, you and your peers will come up with your own iteration of the play. Make as many twists as you like to the story, but as we go along be sure to keep the main points in mind. Once you've formulated the play, you'll be presenting your favorite scene in front of the class." Hanneman proceeded to ignore the loud sea of groans. "The script will be due a week before the end of the quarter, and the entirety of the last week will be dedicated to presenting. So pick your groups wisely!"

Then, just as he finished, the bell went off once more, and students began to flood out of the classrooms as usual. Byleth didn't follow this time, not immediately anyway, but rather he lingered behind to have one last discussion with Dimitri. He approached the blond again, watching him carefully pack away his belongings, before popping the question, "When does the meeting begin?"

Dimitri looked up from his bag. "Hm? Oh! Yes, I nearly forgot to tell you. We're starting a little later than usual due to personal circumstances with one of our team members. We usually start at four, but there'll be an hour delay, and we depart at seven as a result. I hope that isn't a problem."

Byleth shook his head. "Not at all. See you then."

"Yes. I'll see you as well."

Byleth then waved goodbye to the club leader before leaving to proceed with the rest of his day.

* * *

In his honest opinion, Byleth should've done some reading on fencing. The dark-haired boy dashed his way home to quickly change into something more appropriate for active, well, activities. Unfortunately, he could only equip himself with long socks, thin-layered pants, and a black tank-top. So _of course_ everyone would give him weird stares when he arrived to the meeting. And _of course_ one of the students would ask if he knew the first thing about fencing. And _of course_ he'd have to answer no, earning an echo of giggles from the group.

"Lucky for you, we have extras," said the girl who walked up to him. She had sand-gold hair tied back into a long braid that reached down the mid-section of her back, and her eyes were a bright turquoise. "I'll go fetch you some proper equipment."

"Thank you," Byleth replied, feeling rather bashful.

"I'm Ingrid, by the way. Are you interested in joining our club?"

He gave a nod. "Yes. I heard about it from Dimitri, though he only mentioned it briefly to me."

"So the boar invited you?" asked one of the boys sitting on a nearby bench. He had dark, raven-colored hair that was tied back into a ponytail, and his eyes were narrowed with golden irises, and he wore a deep scowl on his face.

"Felix, come on, now," butted in a ginger-haired boy.

"Actually, I asked if I could come," Byleth replied to Felix. "He mentioned your team, the Blue Lions I believe, while we conversed with Claude and Edelgard. I've been interested in the sport since I was little, but didn't really partake in it."

"Hey, that's totally cool. We'd be happy to teach you a few things," the ginger, again, said. "I'm Sylvain. And, uh, don't worry about Felix. He's always this grumpy whenever we have to postpone a meeting."

"I am not," Felix hissed.

"See my point?"

"Alright, I believe that's enough."

Everyone's heads turned towards the door, and standing there with a rather tall gentleman by his side was Dimitri. The blond was adorned in what Byleth assumed was, according to Ingrid, proper fencing equipment: white knickers, knee-high socks with matching trainers, and a tank top with a chest protector over it. He couldn't pull his eyes away from the sight. With more of the blond's skin exposed—no thanks to the blue dress shirt that _clearly didn't do him any justice_ —Byleth found himself enraptured by the hint of growing muscle on the other's bicep and those broad shoulders.

Dimitri was in no way buff or muscular, but the more composed Eisner twin would rather die than claim the blond was in no way a hell of a piece of eye candy. If the chest protector wasn't in the way, Byleth was sure he would be able to see the other's well-toned chest. _Goddess_ , what Byleth wouldn't give just to rest his head against it, listening to the soft thumping of the other's heart as he drifted off into a peaceful slumber against such firm muscle.

"...yleth. By...th? Byleth!"

The calling of his name snapped Byleth out of his daydreaming, and when he was faced with reality once again he found himself still staring at Dimitri. The blond's ocean blue eyes were filled with anxious concern as he stared back.

"Byleth, are you alright?" he asked. "You've been looking at me for quite some time..."

"Huh? Oh, yes, I-I'm okay," he replied. "Just a little...distracted, I suppose."

To this, Dimitri's smile returned. "Ah. I see. First-time jitters, hm?"

"Yes. Exactly."

For a second, Byleth could've sworn he saw Sylvain giving a knowing grin to Felix, who only rolled his eyes in return. His expression couldn't have changed, it rarely ever did if at all, so he prayed no one else picked up on his thoughts.

But now was not the time for any of that. He came here with one goal—well, technically two goals—and he aimed to achieve it.

He listened intently as Dimitri started again. "I remember learning for the first time as well, though I received private tutoring, so I didn't feel as much pressure as you may feel now. You seem like a fast learner, so I'm sure you'll get the hang of it by the end of this."

"First, we need to get him some equipment," Ingrid said.

"Poor guy came in here looking like he was doing track tryouts," Sylvain laughed. Thankfully, it was abruptly replaced by a soft "ow" as Felix jabbed the redhead in the ribs.

"Right, of course."

"I shall retrieve it, sir?" asked the burly man next to the blond. Dimitri turned to him.

"Ah, that won't be necessary, Dedue. I'm capable of getting it myself."

"It would not be a problem," Dedue replied.

Byleth noticed the blond frown. "No, honestly, it's perfectly fine-"

"Ugh, I'll get it," groaned a short orange-haired girl with strange, curled braids on either end of her hair. "Give me just a minute."

"I'll help, Annette," said another girl, this one with snow-blonde hair tied into an over-the-shoulder braid. "I know where the plastrons are stored."

Byleth watched the two girls disappear around a corner to the far right of the room, followed by the rustling of what he could only assume were clothes, swords, and whatever else would be required for training. Assuming this would take awhile, he then turned back to the remainder of the Blue Lions. The first to speak up was, of course, Dimitri once again.

"If you ever need help finding your own equipment for tournaments, I'd be more than happy to help," he offered. "For now, I suppose a proper introduction is in order. You've already met Ingrid, Sylvain, and Felix I see."

Byleth eyed the trio from the corner of his eye before giving a firm nod. Dimitri seemed to smile in response.

"The four of us have been close friends since childhood. Though, we were separated for some time a few years back, but we had the fortune of reuniting here at the academy" he explained.

Felix scoffed. "Forunate. Maybe for you."

"Felix," Byleth heard Sylvain give a warnful tone as he spoke. And he didn't miss the way Dimitri's face pulled back into another small frown.

"Right... And, of course, there is Dedue here," he added, gesturing to the tall figure standing beside him.

Dedue turned to Byleth. "I owe Sir Blaiddyd my life, and as such I serve him faithfully as his one of his men."

"Well, when you put it like that..." Dimitri began to trail off, sinking into a heavy sigh. "Anyway, yes, Dedue is one of my closest companions and works as my personal guard while attending the academy with us."

"Hey, don't forget to introduce us now!" shouted the orange-haired girl. She strutted along towards Byleth with the other girl in tow, both carrying equipment. The former handed Byleth some type of mask, one he's seen when watching fencing tournaments as a child. "I'm Annette, and this is Mercedes!"

The other girl, Mercedes, smiled warmly as she handed Byleth a plastron. "It's so nice to finally meet you!" she gushed. "Dimitri seemed so excited the other day when we were planning today's meeting. He seems to really admire you-"

"I-I do believe that is enough, Mercedes," Dimitri intercepted. The boy gave a nervous chuckle as he stepped further into the room. "We have much to do, and there isn't much time before we're kicked off school grounds."

"Oh! That's right, I nearly forgot! The grounds close at 8 today!" Ingrid gasped.

"Precisely. So, let's start off with teaching Byleth the basics. He'll be needing it if he intends to stay." Dimitri gave Byleth a smile as he spoke, one that brought a familiar warmth to Byleth's face. "Go ahead, Byleth. I'll give you the honor of choosing your first sparring partner."

Shit, why was he so freaking cute?

Byleth glanced around the room, looking for someone who he hoped would go a little easy on him. Yes, the teen loved a challenge, but in something that required actual skill rather than critical thinking, he knew he'd have a little more than just a few struggles. He was unfamiliar with how to read an opponent, not to mention barely knew the difference between a parry and a lunge.

Finally, his eyes landed on Sylvain. The redhead seemed pretty easy-going. There was a chance he'd cut Byleth some slack if it came down to it. Entirely the opposite of his friend, Felix, who he knew wouldn't pull any punches. Even if everyone asked him to do so for the newbie's sake.

"Sylvain," he replied. "How about it?"

The ginger-haired teen gave a grin. "Sounds good to me, new guy. Byleth's the name, right?"

Byleth gave a nod, to which Sylvain responded with pushing himself off the bench. He walked over to a large carrier bag that was propped onto its side in the corner of the room. There, he pulled out two foil blades. "Alright, let's do this."

To this, he proceeded to toss one over to Byleth, who, thankfully, caught it with ease.

Annette had the honor of referee and guided the two to a set of mats on the ground. Byleth stepped onto one end while Sylvain stepped onto the one opposite of him. They held their masks in one hand and their blades in the other. The orange-haired girl raised her hand in the air to signal the start of the match. Sylvain gestured to his mask, lifting it slight before placing it on, as if to say _"watch how I do it"_. Once the mask was set on properly, Byleth followed his movements. The two then readied their swords while Byleth mirrored Sylvain's starting position.

"Here are the rules, which we're changing since this is just a practice: the first to strike their opponent wins. No salute is necessary since this isn't an actual game, yet, and in order to win you must hit your opponent on the neck, torso, back, or, uh...privates. In order to score, you must hit them with the tip of the blade. Not the side. Understood?"

Both teens nodded their heads in confirmation. Annette then threw her hand down, and the match began.

Sylvain thrusted his sword forward, but Byleth dodged it just in time. He then retaliated with a lunge of his own. He managed to hit the other on the shoulder with the tip of his blade, but could not receive a score. He mentally cursed himself, but continued on.

The two went back and forth, dodging and parrying one another until. They appeared evenly matched. The rest of the Blue Lions, caught up in the excitement of it all, began to cheer for whoever they believed would win first. Felix and Dedue remained quiet while Ingrid and Annette cheered Sylvain on. Meanwhile, Mercedes and Dimitri rooted in favor of Byleth.

And there it was. Byleth noticed Sylvain's footing change. He must've distracted himself with the shouts of their peers, and thus the forest green-eyed teen thrusted his blade forward in a curving motion. Attempting to dodge it, the redhead lost his balance and was swiftly struck in the chest by the tip of Byleth's sword. Everyone in the room froze, silence replacing the excited shouts of the students in an instant.

Annette said with a smile, "Byleth has claimed victory!"

The room broke out into cheers again, and the Blue Lions began to crowd the two.

"Oh my gosh, Byleth, that was amazing!"

"I knew you could do it."

"You were excellent."

"Not bad for a first timer."

"That was so exciting! I could hardly believe you won!"

Byleth, not so used to such attention, felt bashful again. "Thank you, really," he muttered, his voice just slightly audible. "But I know Sylvain must have gone easy on me."

Everyone's heads turned to said teammate, and Sylvain pulled the mask off his face at the mention of his name. He gave Byleth the same grin as the others. "True, I didn't give it my all," he replied. "But that was still pretty good for a guy who never fenced before. Not bad at all."

"Just wait until you face me." Felix smirked. "I'll be giving you a run for your money."

"Oh, boy, here we go," Ingrid sighed. "Just ignore him."

"Byleth, I must say, that was some exemplorary work," Dimitri adjourned, smiling up at Byleth for what felt like the thousandth time that day. Byleth would never argue against seeing the blond, blue-eyed beauty give him such an expression, however. "Even for just a beginner, you did well against an opponent like Sylvain. There are a few kinks we could work out, but there will be plenty of time for that later."

Byleth replied, "Thank you, Dimitri. It was quite exciting if I do say so myself."

"So does this mean you'll stay?" Mercedes asked.

"Yeah! We're pretty full for a club, but we could always use another member!" Annette chirped.

"Now, guys, I'm sure he's got plenty of other things to do beside play with swords," Sylvain said, clearly teasing if his tone was any indication. "But, if he chose to stay, I certainly wouldn't argue with it."

Byleth, again, felt embarrassment crawl under his skin. Was this what having friends was like? It felt...different. Different from what he was used to, anyway. But a good kind of different. He liked this group just about as much as the Golden Deer. Still, he didn't want to make a choice right away, and he still wasn't sure if he was able to join both teams at once.

Oh, what the heck.

"If you'll have me, it'd be my honor to become an official member of your team."

Once more did cheers echo the room. Everyone around him bursted into celebration, as if they already weren't going wild with joy, but what caught his attention most was Dimitri.

The blond walked closer to him, placing a gentle yet firm hand on his shoulder. "Well then, Byleth, as the captain of the fencing team for Garreg Mach's Academy for the Incredibly Gifted, funded by the Church of Seiros, it is my honor to claim you as an official Blue Lion."

Then, the blond leaned in just a little closer to whisper, "Welcome to the team."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To end things off, I've noticed some people might be confused as to which Byleth is which, so here's the key (try not to forget!):
> 
> Byleth = male  
> Bylet = female
> 
> I'll also be sure to add it to the beginning of each chapter so people don't forget.
> 
> Also, don't worry, I purposefully left out Ashe in this chapter. The little bean will be back soon.


	6. Intermission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri and Claude chat over some pizza.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the summary is sketchy as hell but trust me, I have a plan.
> 
> Also, thank you for 1000+ hits! Woohoo!

Garreg Mach's Academy for the Incredibly Gifted was one of the most prestigious schools in all of Fodlan. Guided and funded by the Church of Seiros, the national religious order that follows and preaches the teachings of Seiros, an advocate for the goddess Sothis, and the other Saints who fought by her side eons ago, the school is located at the center of the country and provides education to only the best students in Fodlan.

The academy was a private school with most of its student body consisting of teens who came from well-known families—children of CEOs, politicians, governors, etc. There were the few who earned scholarships though their innate talents such as art, combat, magic, and many other things, and so they rightfully earned a seat at the school. Other than that, it was a difficult education to earn. Without talent or money, there wasn't a likely chance one would be accepted.

The only exceptions to this were the Eisner twins.

With their father having a previous connection to the school, more specifically to the dean: Lady Rhea, they would have as much of a chance as any other teenager they knew. But luck was on their side, according to many, and the twins managed to earn a place at the academy in their last year of high school. And so, they transferred and became members of Garreg Mach's student population.

Byleth wasn't too keen on getting to know his peers, and stayed in the background for most of that time. Bylet, however, quickly grew interested in the school's mathematicians team: The Black Eagles. In turn, the team grew interested in her. Especially their leader, Edelgard. The two began to speak and spend time together before, eventually, they started to date.

Claude spoke to Dimitri and Edelgard about the girl's new partner. Most importantly, how neither of them were soulmates.

It wasn't uncommon in Fodlan for non-soulmates to end up together, some even getting married, that much he knew, but he could sense there were still many who held true to tradition and frowned upon such relationships. So it was no surprise to him why, when he spoke of it privately with the prince-like blond, Dimitri looked distraught.

"I never believed Edelgard of all people would get away with something like this," he sighed.

Claude eyed the other teen. "Oh? Is it because of how 'scandalous' it is to be with someone you weren't tied to at birth? Or is it because she actually managed to score someone before you could make a move?"

Claude meant it all in jest, but it didn't stop Dimitri from shaking his head. "Claude, I don't know what is going on in that head of yours, but I suggest you cease it at once. Edelgard should be free to choose who she desires." Then, to the brunette's surprise, he propped his elbow on the table and used it as leverage for his head. "Still, I can't help admit, I am a little jealous."

"I knew it!"

"Not like that!" Dimitri narrowed his eyes at Claude. "I meant I'm jealous she has such freedom. If I ever did such a thing, my uncle would have a heart attack."

Claude could not help but chuckle out, "You and me both. I'm sure the senate would have a field day if one of us married someone _other_ than our soulmates. Imagine the scandal of it all!"

"That reminds me, Claude. I know you've said you've never met yours, but have you ever imagined if you had?"

The von Riegan heir furrowed his brows, taking the time to chew lazily on his slice of pizza. "Well," he said, in-between bites, "not really. Got way too many plans for that. So much to do, so little time, wouldn't you agree?"

He says it with such a carefree tone, like that of a man who truly never considered being anyone's soulmate. Like the thought never, not once, crossed his mind, of who the gods intended him to have for eternity. All a lie, of course, but one he pulled off well.

Dimitri gives an almost disappointed look. "I see."

"Why? Have you?"

The blond hesitantly replies, "I'm afraid so. The thought doesn't cross my mind often, but when it does, I cannot help but fear for them, my soulmate."

Now _that_ caught Claude's attention.

Claude von Riegan was always a schemer, never one to be trusted, and one who never trusts so easily. But if there's one thing he can't help, it's uncovering the secrets he finds at Garreg Mach. Whether it's the students, faculty, or the dean herself, the heir to Senator von Riegan's title loves a good mystery or two. And Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd was no exception.

"Interesting," the brunette hums. "What is there to fear?"

Dimitri stares at Claude like a deer caught in headlights. His body grows stiff, his pupils shrink, and jaw rigid. He relaxes a quick moment later, hoping to brush off the shock he wore.

"I'm afraid it's...complicated. Let's just say it does nothing to calm my nerves, and leave it at that."

Claude wanted to know more. He desired to know more, desperately, but there were other matters more pressing. Besides, this was the Blaiddyd heir's love life they were talking about. Not some top-secret, government conspiracy. He didn't need to dig all that deep. It was clear Dimitri was afraid of something, a clear sign of his lacking in self-confidence, but that was a mystery for another day.

So of course he brushed it off with a simple, "Understandable," before continuing to chomp away at his slice of cheese and tomato paste heaven.

It is then that the bell rings again, and students pile towards their classrooms. The two club leaders nearly jolt in surprise at the suddenness of it all, but their composure is quickly regained.

"Excuse me, Claude," Dimitri says, standing up as he grabbed his bag. "I should head to class, now. There is a project from Hanneman and I've yet to pick a partner. I'm sure everyone else in the class already has one..."

Claude, almost instinctively, replies, "Why not just ask Byleth? You two are practically attached at the hip, wouldn't you say?" There was a clear hint of mockery in his tone. One someone would give out of jealousy. Claude had heard the rumors. One of the mysterious Eisner twins had joined the fencing club. He had to admit, it wouldn't do well for his reputation if word got out of him picking a fight with the Blue Lions' leader over something so trivial.

So he continued to play it off, just as he always did. "I mean, you did manage to convince him to choose you over our noble Golden Deer. We could've even shared memes with him in the group chat," he laughed.

But _oh_ how it grinds his gears to see a blush on the other's face at the mere mention of the boy's name. "I suppose. I hope he doesn't already have a partner," Dimitri mutters.

"Meh. I doubt it. Kid doesn't seem like the type to immediately socialize with anyone."

The second bell rang, and Dimitri hurriedly shouted to Claude as he bolted away, "Thank you for the talk, Claude, but I must be going! Goodbye!"

And Claude watches him leave, a smirk on his face to hide the frustration lying underneath. He does not rush to class. His charm will do enough to convince the teacher to let him off the hook. But that doesn't stop his head from turning, the cogs in his mind working like fine machinery as yet another scheme formulates in the back of his thoughts.

He was going to get Byleth to join his team. No matter what it took, or who was in his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I accidentally made Claude too obsessive, but screw it.
> 
> We've got a Yandere!Claude here, guys.
> 
> Also, sorry if there's any spelling mistakes in the names. I'm terrible at names in general and had to look them up several times. Yikes.


End file.
